Knife construction for bread slicing machines



Jan. l2, 1932. J. v. NELSON KNIFE CONSTRUCTION FOR BREAD SLICING MACHINES Filed Sept. 12, 1929 closure, a referred embodiment of m Patented Jan. 12, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN VICTOR NELSON, OF MAYWOOD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF T0 FRANZ K. KRAG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND ONE-HALF TO JOHN L. BENNET, OF DECATUR,

ILLINOIS KNIFE CONSTRUCTION FOB. BREAD SLICING MACHINES Application led September 12,1929. Serial No. 392,125.

This invention relates to improvements in bread slicing machines, and more particularly to a new and improved construction for supporting and mounting the knives in the .knife frames so that they may be quickly and appear, this invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and then sought to be defined infthe appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and which show, merely for the purpose of illustrative dis- 1nvention, it eing expressly understood, owever, that various changes may be made in practice fwithin the scope ofthe claims withv out digressing from my inventiveidea.

Referring nowv to the drawings- IFigure 1 is a front elevation of the device constructed in accordance with my invention with portions removed and shown in section to facilitate the disclosure. p Figure 2 is a vertical transverse cross section of Figure 1 showing the blades and their mountings in the frames.

`Figure 3 is a detail showing the arm or lever or link to which a blade .is adaptedrto be attached, and by which it is resiliently mounted in the knife frame.

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross section taken on line 4-41of Figure 3. K

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a stationary frame which is formed as a part of a bread slicing machine as a whole. This frame includes a horizontal member 2 and the vertical rods or shafts 3, which are spaced apart and positioned on opposite sides thereo These rods or shafts 3 provide means for reciprocably supporting the knife carrying frames 4. Each of these frames includes a side member 5 having a plurality of apertured ears or lugs 6 to receive said rods or shafts 3. These ears or lugs may be arranged in alternate relation on opposite sides, as clearly shown in Figure l, so as to afford stability of support to the two knife frames.

At the lower end of the side members 5 of the knife frames, links 7 are pivotall connected. These links are adapted to be reciprocated by means of any suitable mechanism, such as cam, eccentric, or crank.

These knife frames also include upper and lower horizontal members 8 and 9 which are of similar construction, comprising a deep channel member 10 and a shallow channel member 11 fitting therein so as to form a member which is substantially hollow as a whole, and having a laterall extending lip or flange 12 at the top and hottom thereof. It is to be noted that each hollow member is preferably formed of two channelled sheet metal members of different depths, the shallower member fitting into the open Sidevof the deeper member, and so that the bottom of the shallower channeled member forms a vertical artition and support for reinforcing the eeper channeled member.

Each member 10 is provided with a plurality of slots or openings 13 in its inner portion and each member 11 is provided with a plurality of slots or openings 14 in substantial alinement therewith. These slots" or openings are to receive knife holding members 15. These members are inthe form of arms `or levers which are preferably composed of 'two parts, 16, which complement each other and which are pivotally and removably connected together near each end by means of the headed rivets or ins 17 and 18. These rivets or pins are preffirably permanently attached to one member 16, and removably received bythe other member 16.

The knife blade is designated by the reference character 19, and at each end is provided with an aperture to receive rivet 17, the knife blade fitting between the two part-s of the knife holdingl member 15, as clearly shown in Figures-3 and 4. Each of the members 16 is 100 provided with the enlarged or bulged portion 20, which is connected to the normal flat portion thereof by means of the inclined portion 21 which provides a wedge construction. Each member 16 is also provided with a notch or groove 22, preferably located in the bulged portions 20, and also a notch or groove 23 on the other side and near the outer end thereof. T'he first notch or groove 22 is adapted to engage the edge of the bottom member of channeled member 10 of the frame, it being understood that the aperture or slot 13# therein is large enough to receive the bulged portion of the lever or arm 15. Furthermore, when this lever or arm is pulled to the right, referring now to the upper arm 15 shownin Figure 2, the sides of the member 10 engaging the inclined portion 21 will act to clamp the knife blade between the two separable parts 16 of the knife holding member 15.

Notch 23 is for the purpose of receiving the springs or other resilient medium 24, the other end of which is connected to any suitable part of the knife holding frame. This resilient means causes member 15 to act as a lever, a pivot being provided by the engagement of the bottom of the member 10 with the notch 22 in the arm or lever 15. This construction, of course, is duplicated at each end so that the knives are all under proper tension, and are resiliently mounted. This tension may be adjusted by using springs of different strengths.

It is to be understood that the knife holders are mounted so as to be reciprocated in opposite directions, and that the knives 19 are mounted in the two frames in alternation, so that the loaf of bread is subjected to cutting movements by knives moving alternately in opposition to each other.

The resilient mounting of these knives under proper tension is a very important ,feature, because the apparatus is designed to be used on freshly baked bread. This bread is covered with a crisp crust, and, in some instances, has a very spongy interior, which makes it very hard to properly cut and slice while fresh. The resilient mounting of these blades permits the blades to adjust themselves to different cutting conditions.

Another important feature is the ready and separate removal of the various knife blades. This is accomplished by hooking up a spring 24 and pushing the knife holding arm or lever 15 away from the spring. This will release the bulged portions 2O from the grip of the sides of the opening or slot 13, and permit the removable member 16 to be removed from the other member 16 and thereafter the detachment of the blade 19. Another blade, or the same blade, may be ust as readily replaced without disrupting any of the other blades or any other parts of the machine.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the character described, a knife holding frame having hollowtop and bottom members, knife holders pivotally mounted in said top and bottom members and adapted to support a knife, and spring means for holding the knives under tension. 2. In a bread slicing machine, in combination, a plurality of knife holding frames, knife holders pivotally mounted on each of said frames, a plurality of alined knives mounted on said knife holders, tensioning means for cach knife and means for reciprocating adjacent blades in opposite directions.

3. In a device of the character described, knife holding frame, knife holders pivotally mounted on said frame, said knife holders being formed of a plurality of strips detachably connected by pins and formed with an offset portion adjacent one end which fits into an aperture of the knife holding frame so as to form a means whereby a knife may be easily removed or replaced.

4. In a device of the character described, a knife holding frame, a plurality of knives and means for detachably mounting each knife in said frame so that it may be separately removed therefrom, and resilient means associated with said mounting means for applying tension to each knife.

5. In an Vapparatus of the character described, a knife frame, a plurality bf knives, a lever member pivotally connected at each end of each knife, said lever members being pivotally and removably mounted in said frame. l

6. In an apparatus ofthe character del scribed, a knife frame, a plurality of knives, a lever member pivotally connected at each end of each knife, said lever members being pivotally and removably mounted iny said frame, and means for applying tension to the one end of each lever member.

7. In a device of the character described, a knife frame, a knife associated therewith, and means for mounting said knife in said frame comprising a knife holder pivotally mounted adjacent each end of the knife, said knife holders being pivotally mounted intermediate their ends to said knife frame.

8. In a device of the character described, a knife frame, a knife associated therewith, and means for mounting said knife in said frame comprising a knife holder having one end pivotally mounted adjacent each end of the knife, said knife holders being pivotally mounted intermediate their ends to said knife frame and a spring means associated with the other end of the knife holder to keep the knife under tension.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand this 16 day of August, 1929.

JOHN VICTOR NELSON. 

